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Sauergebratens" or German Pot Roast

A historical recipe from Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915).

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A historical recipe

Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915). Project Gutenberg eBook #13545.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

United States

Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 3 ingredients

  1. three pounds of beef
  2. 1-1/2 cups of hot water
  3. 2 onions

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
  • Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. Buy about three pounds of beef, as for an ordinary pot roast.
  2. Place in a large bowl.
  3. Boil vinegar (or, if vinegar is too sharp, add a little water, a couple of whole cloves and a little allspice);
  4. this should cover the piece of meat.
  5. Vinegar should be poured over it hot;
  6. let stand a couple of days in a cool place uncovered;
  7. turn it over occasionally.
  8. When wanted to cook, take from the vinegar and put in a stew-pan containing a little hot fried-out suet or drippings in which has been sliced 2 onions.
  9. Let cook, turn occasionally, and when a rich brown, stir in a large tablespoonful of flour, add 1-1/2 cups of hot water, cover and cook slowly for two or three hours, turning frequently.
  10. Half an hour before serving add small pared potatoes, and when they have cooked tender, serve meat, gravy and potatoes on a large platter.
  11. The writer knew an old gentleman who had moved to the city from a "Bucks County farm" when a boy, who said that he'd walk five miles any day for a dish of the above as his mother had prepared it in former years.
  12. Mary was surprised at the amount of valuable information to be obtained from the different Farmers' Bulletins received at the farm, on all subjects of interest to housewives, and particularly farmers' wives.
  13. All books were to be had free for the asking.
  14. The dishes Mary prepared from recipes in the Farmers Bulletin on "economical use of meat in the home," were especially liked at the farm, particularly "Stewed Shin of Beef" and "Hungarian Goulash" (a Hungarian dish which has come to be a favorite in the United States).

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Frying pan
  • Saucepan
  • Mixing bowl
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden spoon
  • Spatula
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #13545 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13545). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.